And no doubt coming to the conclusion Blanche expected. Knowing he had no suspicion of whom he was talking to gave
her a rush of pleasure and power. She drew her Sword, but held it at her side. Jack's eyes followed the movement and his powerful shoulders tensed.
Madame Tanet tells me you claim to have no
memory of who you are. He gave her an angry glare. I do more than "claim"?
He was dressed now, wearing one of the ser-
vants loose tunics and breeches. The tunic was tied by two points, leaving the top two open.
Blanche tried not to look to0 obviously at his
chest. He swung his legs over the bed and indicated the table.
May I have some paper and the means to
write? he asked.You can write?"
Blanche raised an eyebrow. You know this, yet you do not know your name?".
He looked perplexed. I know some things,
though I don't know why or how. I can speak.
I can dress myself, as you can see. I hoped if I
had the means to write or draw, some memories might come to me.
He probed carefully at the edge of the bandage. His hands were long, with slender fingers and well-kept nails. She knew from nursing him there were old callouses on the ridge at the base of each finger that had started to soften. If he a sailor they would be hardened. He was a mystery.
Solving it teased her intriguingly. Who are you?" she breathed. He looked surprised and Blanche realised with alarm that she had almost let her guise down for a moment and revealed her true self.
Tell me the truth, she said, more sternly. I
have no time for men who speak falsehoods to me, I don't know, he said, his voice rising in frustration. He bunched his fists, pressing them to the side of his temples, then pounded them on the wall in frustration.
His expression darkened and he looked unexpectedly dangerous. He stood and faced Blanche, arms crossed and head high. His
sleeves were rolled up and his arms were toned, but did not have the deep tan of men who were used to working outside all day.
Good arms. Strong arms, Blanche thought, then despised herself a little for noticing such a detail.
I have told you what I told Madame Tanet.
Present me with another visitor and I shall swear the same to him.
Where am I? I have told you everything I am able, yet no one will tell me where I am or who is keeping me here. He stepped towards her and she raised the Sword. Do not move.
Who are you?" Jack growled. You come in
here, threatening me with a sword. I demand to know why I am being kept here.
I'm not threatening you, Blanche snarled.
This is for my protection.
´Against what?"
Jack curled his lip. He spread his arms wide
and turned in a slow circle, giving Blanche a
perfect view of his tall, strong body. He would
conquer her easily if he decided to attack.
She gripped her sword tighter. When he faced her there was no fear in his eyes, only anger held in check. If she held a sword to his throat, he would not quake like the Captain of Charles Roi had.
I have no way of attacking you or defending
myself. Until this morning I could not even raise myself from the bed. You are treating me poorly
monsieur, and I would like some answers. If I
were myself again and in possession of a weapon of my own, I would take them from your lips at sword point.
If you were yourself, you would not need to
fight me for the answers, Blanche pointed out. She lowered the sword, her hand trembling a littie as the thought of what he had already done to her lips sent a shiver through her belly.
But you Obviously think you are capable, which tells us both something about you, does it not?"
He glared at her, then spun away and walked to the window, his frustration clear. Being a storeroom, the window was high set and narrow.
He raised himself on to the balls of his feet, craning his head to look out, and grabbed hold of the bars as if he intended to pull his entire body off the ground. His arms were muscular and Blanche considered that he would have no problem doing that.
What do you see?" Blanche asked, curious
to discover what would command his attention. Tell me what it tells you.
He looked over his shoulder at her. Light
drenched his hair, picking out the blond among the sand and casting shadows over sculpted cheekbones. Is this a test? Will I earn my freedom if I pass?"
She cocked her head to one side and gestured. Their eyes locked and for a moment she was fixed by the certainty Jack recognised her, despite the mask, but he looked away. He was silent as his head moved from side to side. Blanche held her
breath.
There is a rounded tower on the building op
posite with a window set high into the top. I know I am below ground here because I can see doorways and steps.'
He sniffed. From the smell of grain I think
this is a storeroom, not a cell. He breathed again, more deeply and slower. His shoulders lifted and his torso expanded.
He had a powerful body, Blanche thought. She caught herself wondering what it would be like to that moved beneath the tunic,
imagining them to be as solid and sculpted as those in his chest. She took a step closer.
run her hands over the solid muscles of his back I can smell the sea, Jack murmured. And when it is quiet in the night I think I can hear the waves.
He let go of the bars and dropped on to his feet with a lightness that took Blanche by surprise, and stood upright.
I already know I am by the coast because Ma-
dame Tanet told me they had only brought me a short way. Where is she?" he asked.
Blanche was struck by the eagerness in his
voice. He obviously found her attractive from the way his eyes filled with life.
She wondered how deeply the memory of their kiss was buried and what it would take to make it resurface.
You'd like to see her again? she asked. "A
pretty woman, isn't she, for all that she is older than you, I think? Don't men your age hanker after young virginal girls?
I don't hanker after anyone, Jack snapped. He raised his head and his eyes were hard, though pain whispered at the edge of his voice.
I would like to see her again because she was kind to me when I woke and I believe it is down to her I owe my life. I would like to thank her.
Blanche sheathed her sword and adjusted her cloak and gloves. Perhaps you will see her again. However, I will pass any messages on to her that you wish. I will leave you now. I have matters to attend to.
'Am I a prisoner?" Jack asked, anger in his
voice. 'Is the door to be bolted once more?"
Blanche jerked her head up in surprise. She
had not drawn the bolt when she had left, which meant that if he knew of its existence he had either opened the door or had heard it before.
Which in turn meant he had been feigning sleep when she entered to bathe him. Her sense of fairness told her he had perhaps half woken and was lapsing in and out of sleep and had not intended to deceive her.
The contemptuous part of her that knew what she did of men was unsure. Jack flexed his arms. I have been still and Blanche looked at the limbs in question that Sleeping for too long and ache to stretch my legs. he now planted apart.
They were long and lean with she couldn't help but notice a sizeable bunching of cloth between them. She had thought her desire for men had been ground out of her by the degrading exploits she had put herself through since Yann's death, but to her consternation, heat rose to her face. Images of lovemaking began to bud in her mind like wild blooms after the winter frost.
You stay here for now. For your safety as much as anything else. Madame Tanet had to fight to bring you here and her men will not trust a stranger as readily as she will.
These are difficult times. She hammered on the door with a fist. Jack tensed, looking as though he was about to spring forward, but when she held out a hand he stood back.
He clearly didn't like the answer. She didnt
blame him. When the door opened, Blanche dropped into a low bow, sweeping the hat from her head with a flourish, and swept out. She bolted the door, taking care to make as much noise as possible so Jack knew what she had done.
She leaned against the door and pulled the
mask from her face, then fanned her neck with her hat and faced Andrey who was waiting at the end of the passageway.
I think he's telling the truth. did you mention what we found in the barrels? Andrey asked.